UNIT 5. The myths we live by

Transcription

1 UNIT 5 The myths we live by A. Decide if the following statement is correct or not. Myth is derived from the Greek word Ì ıô, which means "word of mouth." B. Look at the three pictures and decide which civilization they come from. Give your reasons: a) Viking b) Roman c) Hindu C. What is the possible meaning of each picture? D. What myths do you know? What is the purpose of a myth? Read the short text below to see if you were right. The myths of each culture form a kind of self-portrait of the people, showing their values, their beliefs and their worries. Myths express the spiritual and intellectual life of people, and the content of the myths is a key to understanding how these people think! Topic Strategies: The myths we live by Grammar Using the First and Second Conditional forms for hypothetical situations. Reading skills Skimming a text to get the general idea; scanning for details Listening skills Using knowledge of a situation to help in predicting the contents of a listening text. Writing skills Using cohesive devices: because, since, as Functions Expressing hypothetical situations for real and unreal situations Speaking skills Discussing problems and solutions; giving advice Vocabulary Prepositional phrases; Noun endings (ment)_; adjective endings (ic). I can identify sentence structure to help me understand the meaning of a sentence. I can share my opinions about a subject 49

2 Lesson 1 Lead-in AIMS ñ To introduce the first and second conditional forms. ñ To scan a text to find detailed information A. What mythical characters do you know? Make a list and compare your answers to see who knows the most. B. Look at the sketches of mythical characters a-e. In pairs, discuss what you know about each character. C. Now match the pictures to the statements i-v below. i) If you answer her question incorrectly, she will eat you. ii) If you look at her, you will turn into stone. iii) If she opens the box, bad things will happen. iv) If he flies too near the sun, his wings will melt. v) If you ask her a question, she will tell you your fortune. a b c d e Grammar rules In grammar, the statements above are 1st Conditional'. A condition means that if someone does something, something else will happen. In pairs, look at this sentence in 1st Conditional and complete RULE 1: If Icarus flies near the sun, his wings will melt. RULE 1: The verb in the conditional clause is always in the tense. The verb in the main clause is '. Circle the correct words in RULE 2 on how we use the 1st Conditional. RULE 2: We use the 1st Conditional when we talk about a possible / certain situation and its consequences. Task 1 Make a first conditional sentence and tell it to your partner. Do you both agree that your sentences are examples of the first conditional? 50 Task 2 Complete the sentences in the box: Compare your answers with your partner. i) If I want advice, I will... ii) If I... iii) If...

3 Task 3 - An ancient Fortune Teller' An ancient fortune teller! In Ancient Greece people went to the Oracle in Delphi to ask the Pythia to tell them their future. Today, people still want to know what will happen in their future. A. In pairs, make a short list of the sources people use to find out about their future today. B. Discuss as a group the problems that might arise from people going to fortune tellers. Reading - Pre-Reading All civilizations have gods for different values. For example, in the Ancient Greek civilization Demeter was the goddess of Look at the pictures and in small groups decide what these gods or goddesses might represent. Discuss your answers with the rest of the class. Task 1 A. In groups of three, look at the names of the mythical characters in the pictures. Can you match the pictures a-f with the names 1-6? 1. Thor 3. Perseus 5. Midas 2. Pandora 4. Finn Mc Cool 6. King Arthur a Geb Lono Cybele Citlalicue b Decide as a group which one you think has nothing to do with Greece. Can you guess which country this character comes from? d e B. Now, discuss what you know about each of the characters. c What value or quality do they represent? f 51

4 Lesson 1 Task 2 Read the statements in the box and match each one to the characters 1-6 in TASK 1A: a) I think, if she was alive today, she wouldn't open the box. b) The ocean would turn to gold, if he touched it. c) If I were you, I wouldn't take his hammer. d) He wouldn't be happy with the country, if he lived in England today. e) If I stayed awake, I would have to fight the Scottish giant. f) If I were a God, I would kill Acrisius. Task 3 A. In pairs, underline the if' clause and the main verb clause in the statements above. B. Read the statements carefully. Is the situation in each real or unreal? How do you know? Discuss your answers with your partner. Grammar - rules A. The statements in TASK 2 are '2nd Conditional'. In pairs, read the statements carefully and complete RULE 1. RULE 1: The verb in the 'if' clause is always in the Simple tense. The verb in the main clause is + infinitive. B. Circle the correct words in RULE 2 on how we use the 2nd Conditional. RULE 2: We use the 2nd Conditional to talk about a situation that is real / unreal. Task 4 - Myths and Legends A. Read the following short text and in pairs decide if the writer feels the purpose of mythical stories is: a) to teach us history b) to help us think about our lives c) to frighten us THE CHARACTERS OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS Myths are sacred stories. The word myth comes from the Greek word Ì ıô ', meaning a story. Myths tell of how the world started and how we learned to live in our world. Most myths have kind and helpful heroes who are Gods or superhuman beings. However, not all were good, and in fact some of them had very bad characters. The reason for this is to show our human weaknesses. Myths help people understand and learn about their world. B. Discuss your ideas with your partner and underline the words which tell you the answer. Task 5 - Skim-reading 52 A. Work in pairs: Student A reads what the text says about three mythical characters and Student B reads in Appendix page 142. Then Student A and B ask and answer questions about the characters they have read about. Student A's questions: i) What caused thunder and lightning? ii) What did Polydeuctes ask Perseus to do? iii) What was the worst thing Midas did?

5 2 1 An ancient fortune teller! Thor Thor was the son of Odin, father of the Norse Gods. He was a large powerful man who protected the gods and the lives of mortal men against evil. This is why he was so popular. He was also the God of Thunder and the Norse believed that during a thunderstorm, Thor rode through the heavens on his chariot pulled by the goats Gap Tooth' and Tooth Grinder'. Lightning flashed whenever he threw his hammer. Thor had a quick and hot temper and would get angry very easily. If the giants angered him, he would attack them with his hammer. Thor's memory still lives with us today in his name. Do YOU know which day of the week is named after him? Perseus The Oracle had warned King Acrisius of Argos that he would be killed if his daughter Danae ever had a son, so he set Danae and her son adrift on the sea. At first they had no money and had to live from hand to mouth but later Polydeuktes, the king of Seriphus found them. He fell in love with Danae, but was unable to persuade her to marry him because Perseus was his mother's protector. To get rid of Perseus, Polydeuctes sent him on a quest to bring back the head of the Gorgon Medusa, a snake-haired maiden. He told him that if he brought back the head of the Gorgon, he would stop chasing Danae. Perseus had the help of the Gracae. He took their eye and tooth and told them that he would only give them back if they helped him. He succeeded in cutting off Medusa's head. Do YOU know what happened to people who looked at her head? 3 Midas Dionysus told King Midas that he would give him a wish if he helped to re-unite him with Silenus his step-father. Midas wished that everything he touched would be turned to gold. Initially, Midas was thrilled with his new gift and turned everything he could to gold. His attitude changed, however, when he was unable to eat or drink since his food and wine were also changed to gold. Things went from bad to worse when he even accidentally killed his daughter when he touched her, and this made him realize the depth of his mistake. The myth carries a message that it is dangerous to be greedy. Do you know what happened when Midas touched his daughter? Task 6 - Comprehension A. In pairs, decide on the correct answer for these characters. i) Thor a) helped ordinary men b) fought with lightning c) ate goats ii) Perseus a) was foolish b) loved his father c) loved his mother iii) Midas a) was wise b) was an egotist c) was foolish iv) Pandora a) was curious b) was wise c) liked boxes v) King Arthur a) believed in good over bad b) believed in peace c) lived in France B. Now, answer the following questions: a) If you had difficult tasks to do, would you do them or not? Why? b) If a Norseman was in danger, who would he call to for help? c) Which character do you think existed in the Middle Ages? d) Which Empire existed in Greece during the Middle Ages? 53

6 Lesson 2 Vocabulary Task 1 - Word formation AIMS ñ To understand and find synonyms ñ To listen for a sequence of events ñ To discuss problems and solutions ñ To practise transactional writing A. The words heroic and punishment appeared in the reading texts. In pairs, make a list of other words you know which end in - ic, and -ment? Write them in two columns: NOUNS and ADJECTIVES. Compare your list with the rest of the class. Now, choose the correct endings for the following words: telepath improve employ develop advertise invest enjoy tourist realist titan artist teuton B. In pairs, look at these words from the texts. Make a rule to form the negative of each word. mortal - immortal mature - immature possible - impossible practical - impractical Task 2 - Prepositional phrases A. In pairs, match the parts of the expressions 1-8 with parts a-h: B. Complete the following sentences with the correct phrase from A above: 1. from morning a) to finish 2. from bad b) to toe 3. from A c) to time 4. from strength d) to night 5. from time e) to mouth 6. from start f) to strength 7. from head g) to worse 8. from hand h) to Z 1. The Sphinx never moved and sat on its Mount. 2. The family was very poor and lived. 3. After Oedipus killed his father, his life went. 4. The giant was covered in animal skins. 5. We watched the game. 6. Heracles visited his family. 7. Life was difficult at first, but slowly improved and he went. 8. Martin knows about mythology, so ask him anything. 54 Task 3 - If I were What would you do if you were a powerful person (e.g. the Prime Minister, the Mayor in your area, the school Headmaster) for a day? Discuss your ideas with your partner. Start like this: If I were, I would

7 If I were... Listening - Pre-Listening Write down the name of a famous politician in Greece or in any country in the world that you would like to be for a day. Then compare your answer with the rest of the class to see who the most popular individual is. Task 1 - A radio interview You are going to listen to a radio programme about heroes. James Clemens, a popular soap opera actor is talking about his own hero. Listen to the interview and answer the questions: a) Who is the speaker's hero? b) Give ONE reason why he would like to be this character for a day. c) What would YOU do if you were that character? Task 2 - Six problems A. Look at the 6 pictures. In pairs, match the pictures on the right to the problems below: a b c PROBLEM SOLUTION d 1. Not enough water buy more bottled water 2. Wolves are killing the sheep shoot all the wolves 3. Roads become flooded clean the drains 4. Accidents outside school install traffic lights 5. Local beach is dirty do not allow people on the beach e 6. Noise from a cafeteria move it to another place f B. In pairs, discuss possible solutions to each of the problems in pictures 1-6. Do you agree or disagree with these solutions? Why? Why not? Task 3 - Predicting You are going to listen to a villager talking about what HE would do if he were the local Mayor. A. Before you listen, tick the solutions in the box you think you will hear. Discuss your choices with your partner. Listen to see if you were right. B. Listen to the villager again and number the solutions a-f on the right in the order you hear them. SOLUTIONS a) open leisure centre b) ask people for money c) turn house into museum d) open cinemas e) charge people money f) create jobs What solutions would YOU suggest if YOU were the Mayor? Discuss your solutions with your partner. 55

8 Lesson 2 Speaking Task 1 - School problems A. Here are some problems that might appear in a school. Choose one of the problems and in small groups discuss what you would do if you were: i) a teacher ii) a headmaster iii) a parent iv) class president PROBLEMS i) poor food in the school canteen ii) nowhere to play sports when it rains iii) broken windows in the classrooms iv) graffiti on walls and desks v) children making noise during the lesson Use the 2nd Conditional:e.g. If I were a teacher, I would B. Decide as a group which of the 4 people offers the best practical solution. Choose a student in your group to report your solution to the rest of the class. Task 2 - Analyse this! A. As a class, choose one of these problems and analyze it. Discuss why the problem exists and why there has not been a solution so far. B. Discuss possible solutions and decide on the best one. Task 3 - Future problems In groups of three, write down three problems that you might face in your life. Tell the other students in your group and ask for their advice. Give advice using If I were you, I would. Example: STUDENT A: My problem is that I am getting fat. - STUDENT B: If I were you, I would go on a diet. At the end of the task, tell your teacher which was the best piece of advice you received. 56 Task 4 - Making conjectures A. In pairs, read through the list of situations and discuss possible answers for four of them. B. Now, write three more situations and then ask your partner what s/he thinks would happen. What would happen if? we didn't have colours in our lives? girls had to go to the army? a new nightclub opened in your area? you won the football pools? you saw a ghost? you were able to become invisible you lost your best friend's mobile phone? your brother or sister wanted to leave home? there were no planes? things were free in a shop in your area every Monday? the school closed for a month in October?

9 If I were... Writing - Lead-in A. Look carefully at the statue of this famous Greek politician and read the clues to find out who he is. i) He was the first Greek Head of State. ii) He encouraged Greek people to eat potatoes iii) He was murdered in Nafplion iv) There is a Greek University with his name. B. Fact or myth? According to the story, the Greek people in the 1820s did not want to eat potatoes. Kapodistrias had a plan. He decided to put guards around bags of potatoes on the docks in Nafplion. Soon rumours spread that if the potatoes were so valuable to have severe-looking guards, they must be important. In this way, Kapodistrias persuaded the local people to grow potatoes in the area around Epidaurus in the prefecture of Argolida. Task - An Ancient site A. Look at the photograph and as a class, discuss the following questions: What is it? Where is it? Is the following statement true or not? It was near here that the first Greek Constitution was signed. You can check the answer in your History Books or follow the link B. Read the following note asking for advice about creating a leaflet, and underline the problem Aggeliki's village has. C. Find two other words in the letter which mean because' and circle them. D. Reply to your cousin's and tell her what YOU would include in a leaflet about the history and mythology of your area to attract tourists. Use the linking words from C above. 57

10 Lesson 3 An attractive tourist destination Project: An attractive tourist destination Task 1 Look at the photographs of Epidaurus. As a class discuss what kinds of things a tourist can see and do there. What do you know about Epidaurus? i) Where is it? ii) What is it is famous for? Ancient Epidaurus Being the most important port of the Peloponnese in the Saronic Gulf, Epidaurus is believed to be the birthplace of Apollo's son, Asclepius the healer. Modern Epidaurus Epidaurus does not merely stand for ancient history, drama and culture, it is also the place where the first Greek Constitution was signed in Today it is a resort offering different kinds of recreational holidays. For example, agrotourism reaches its peak during the agricultural summer bazaar that has been held in Ancient Epidaurus since Things to see Visit the site of Hera (at the 'Cultural Centre') or wonder at the statue of Artemis (at the top of the hill in the village) or gaze at Dimitra (at 'St Marina'). The sanctuary of Apollo Maleatas and also the sanctuary of Asclepius are also worth seeing. How to get there We are situated midway along the east coast of the Argolis district. It is easy to reach by road via Athens-Corinth Canal if you take the main highway or the scenic routes from Nafplion or Ermioni-Kranidi. You can also get here by ferry or Flying Dolphin from Piraeus. Task 2 Imagine you are talking to a tourist who is going to visit Epidaurus for a couple of days. Read the leaflet above and tell her what she can do there. Task 3 - Create a leaflet Your class is taking part in a European tourism competition. In groups of three create a leaflet of the historical sites in your area. 58 ñ Include information about the local mythology and any historical figures or events associated with the area. ñ Find more information and photographs of the sites in your area to create your own leaflet. ñ Be careful about the layout of your leaflet.

11 Self-evaluation Activity A Match the meanings a-g to each noun riddle a) a human being 2. mortal b) a baby child 3. deed c) a wooden pole on a boat 4. infant d) luck 5. mast e) puzzle or brainteaser 6. fortune f) act Activity B Look at the picture. Can you find the following objects? guards, advertisement, oracle, bonnet, Medusa statue, thunder and lightning, hammer, chariot, leaflet /3 points /2 points Activity C Look at the words in the box. What kind of words are they? Are they nouns, adjectives, verbs? Write your answer on the line. a) abilities b) hopes c) predict d) series e) grateful f) labour g) titanic h) a look /4 points Activity D Complete the following sentences with one of the words in Activity C above. i. Heracles had a of tasks to do as punishment for his crime. ii. It is usually difficult to what our future holds for us. iii. Can I have at your composition on Delphi? iv. All of the Gods had different talents and. v. The people who went to the Oracle put their beliefs and in what they heard. vi. The man made a effort to lift the heavy stone. vii. If you could help me, I would be very. viii. The old man all his life to provide a home and food for his family. /4 points 59

12 Self-evaluation Activity E Look at the verbs in the list on the left. Write any noun you can think of that can go with each verb. Example: melt ice. i) protect ii) destroy iii) perform iv) guess v) attempt vi) solve vii) raise viii) cover /4 points Activity F Complete the following sentences with your own ideas. a) I would help you, if.. b) What, if you saw a monster with three heads? c) You have a headache! If I., I would take an aspirin. d) If I want your advice, I. e) If I, I would help all the poor people of the world. f) If people. the riddle correctly, the sphinx would eat them. /3 points Total /20 points Now tick how well you can do the following: With difficulty Quite well Easily I can understand and use the first and second conditional forms I can read a text describing mythical events I can listen to a radio interview and understand the speaker's dream I can talk about problems and offer solutions 60